Game device



June 22, 1943. c LAKE 2,322,526

, GAME DEVICE Filed Deb. 4, 1941 r x 12m M Q 5 k ,5 212 i 71:44 U 33 TITZ M#%%Fm w WWW Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAMEDEVICE Howard C. Lake, Cincinnati, Ohio Application December 4, 1941,Serial No. 421,638

1 Claim.

This invention relates to game devices and has for an object to providea masking card adapted to be superposed on a standard bingo card orsimilar game card, the masking card having flaps which are normally opento expose the numerals on the bingo card, the flaps being pressed downto closed position by the player as the numbers ,are called, to mask thenumbers, in lieu of the usual method of small blanks of cardboard,opaque glass, or other objects to mask the numbers on the bingo card.

A further object is to provide a masking card so constructed that whenthe fiaps are pressed down they will be yieldably locked into positionso as not to accidentally spring open again to confuse the player.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will beformed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a masking card constructed in accordance withthe invention, with certain of the flaps closed to show bingo in onediagonal line of closed flaps.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the masking card with all of the flapsopen.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1, showing a plurality of the flaps closed and yieldably lockedin closed position.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, the masking card comprisesa substantially rectangular front sheet Ill and a substantiallyrectangular back sheet H, formed of cardboard or similar material, bothsheets being secured together by staples l2 disposed along the sides andbottom edges. The front sheet is preferably formed of thinner gaugematerial than the back sheet, as best shown in Figure 2, in which figurea standard bingo card I3 is shown upon which the masking card issuperposed, as in actual use of the masking card.

The back sheet II has square cut out portions I4 arranged in rowslongitudinally and transversely of the sheet and corresponding to thenumbered squares on a standard bingo card. The front sheet has squareportions out out on their lower and side edges, corresponding to thenumbered squares on a bingo card, the upper edges being uncut to providehinges for the cut out tabs 15.

The hinged tabs l5 of the front sheet are normally swung open, in use ofthe card, and the card is then superposed upon the bingo card l3 withthe numbered squares of the bingo card exposed through the cut outsquare portions iii of the back sheet H and front sheet 10 of themasking card.

Displayed on the front sheet of the masking card is the word bingo asindicated at l! in Figure 1, to correspond with the same word displayedon the conventional bingo card. As the operator of the chance devicecalls a letter and a number if the number exists on the players bingocard, the player turns down the corresponding hinged tab [5 to mask thenumber in the column headed by the letter called by the operator. Whenthe tab is turned down, it masks the number displayed by the bingo cardunderneath the tab and also the cut edge of the tab engages the edges ofthe cut out square of the back sheet and yieldably locks the tab inpressed down position, as best indicated by Figure 4, so that the tabcannot fly open and confuse the player. When a vertical row, ahorizontal row, or a diagonal row of tabs have been pressed down, bingois made by the player.

It will be pointed out that the right side of the masking card is ofgreater width than the left side. The purpose of this is to providespace for rules or instructions as to the use of the masking card, asabove described.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

A game device intended for use in connection with the game of bingo orsimilar games comprising, superposed sheets of cardboard securedtogether, one sheet having cut out squared portions corresponding to thenumbered squares of a conventional bingo card, and the other sheethaving cut out portions providing hinged tabs in register with theopenings in the first named sheet, said device being adapted to besuperposed upon a bingo card with the numbered squares on the bingo cardexposed through the cut out openings in both sheets, said tabs beingadapted to be selectively closed into engagement with the edges of thecut out openings in the first named sheet to be yieldably held closedwhen the chance letters and numbers are announced thus eliminating theuse of separate masking pieces.

HOWARD C. LAKE.

